This image was taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft. It show Coprates Chasma, a major trough located roughly in the centre of the Valles Marineris canyon system.

The HRSC obtained this image on 28 May 2004 during orbit 449 with a ground resolution of approximately 48 metres per pixel. The scene shows the region of Coprates Chasma and Coprates Catena, over an area centred at about 13.5º South and 300º East.

The trough of Coprates Chasma appears in the north (right-hand side) of the image, and ranges from approximately 60 km to 100 km wide and extends 8-9 km below the surrounding plains. Coprates Catena lies parallel to Coprates Chasma and can be seen in the south (left) of the image as three troughs, ranging from a few kilometres to 22 km wide and up to 5 km deep.